This invention relates generally to blow-molded, thin walled plastic containers and more particularly, to a plastic container of this type having a novel neck and handle construction which eliminates neck-sag during post mold cooling and provides a strong, level neck to facilitate the filling and capping of the container.
In recent years, blow-molded, thin walled plastic containers or bottles, for example 35 pound or 5 gallon jugs, have been commonly used as a standard institutional package for liquid food products such as edible oils. In a jug of this large size, customers desire two primary features, neck levelness and strength. The reason for these features is that the automatic filling and capping machines used to fill the jugs require a dimensionally consistent, level, and strong neck to work efficiently. Jugs conventionally used in the past were neither level nor strong and spillage and other filling and capping problems were encountered.
One attempt to strengthen the neck and spout area of a plastic bottle of this type is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,846. However, this patent proposes a rather complex neck and flange arrangement which requires an intricate mold design and, because of its substantial vertical height, wastes space and needs a more expensive, higher packaging box.